Summary
Creature collector games have along and storied history, but they have always been an inherently engaging and fun pastime. From the monoliths of the genre likePokemonto the ambitious indie titles putting their own spin on archetypal formulas and mechanics, there’s always something to look at and explore with games that let players rear up beasts in some capacity. Being able to raise creatures - tracking and charting their growth from birth onwards - doesn’t appear in a lot of games, but when it does, it’s usually a treat.
Whether in colony sims, farming sims,or monster tamers, there’s a variety of different niches in which players can hope to raise creatures. Whether this is to build a lifelong bond with an animal companion, gain one more pack animal, or make the start of some sort of ravenous beast army, is usually up to player discretion. These games in particular form a diverse range of genres allowing players to raise creatures from eggs onwards, usually to whatever end they see fit.
Inspired by classicPokemongames on the original Game Boyand Game Boy Advance,Monster Crownis an incredibly interesting spin on the monster-tamer genre, taking a much more adult approach to the setting and capturing the charm of those earlyPokemondesigns perfectly.
Creatures can be hatched from eggs in this game, and also form eggs for hatching subsequently after fusion, which makes for an incredibly interesting system of building a team to one’s liking from a host of options.
Eggs have been around in almost all of the mainlinePokemongames to date. From the Bad Egg ofEmerald, spawning a slew of myths about the game, to theStrange Eggs ofPokemon Goand the droves of adorable level 1 creatures every player loves to see.
Eggs are only hatched by players inPokemonwho carry them while walking around, filling up a slot in their party. One interesting thing to note is that if a Pokemon with the Flame Body ability is at the head of the party, the steps needed to hatch eggs are halved.
An often brutal game that asks much of its players,Ark: Survival Evolvedhas had a long history of servers with brutal clan wars acrossa host of maps, but one of the main draws of this game is the monster-taming elements.
Creatures can lay eggs which may be fertilized and hatched, giving players generations of creatures like raptors or wyverns to turn into a formidable army or disrupt the natural ecosystem.
A fantastic title for those looking for a monster-tamer JRPG, or for those who want to engage intheMonster Hunteruniversebut hate the monster-hunting side of things,Monster Hunter Stories 2is a definitive sequel to a great story-focused game.
Players engage in simple but immersive scissors-paper-rock style battles alongside their monster buddies, affectionately termed “Monsties,” and can raise new creatures from eggs found in nests as a slightly unethical means of getting new companions.
There are a host of eggs available inStardew Valley, and while some of them are more focused toward beingtrinkets or accessories, some are actual, proper eggs, that can be incubated and left to hatch.
Chicken eggs are the most common example of this, but there are some rarer eggs available, such as void chicken eggs, or even the huge and ancient dinosaur eggs for those wanting a more exotic farm.
6Siralim 2
A Hardcore Monster Tamer Roguelike
A no-holds-barred grindfest of a game,Siralim 2has some incredibly interesting ideas worked into its foundation. Creatures can be fused and raised from eggs in this brutal monster-tamer roguelike, which has a broad away of stats and modifiers.
This game is perfect for those who want to sink hundreds of hours into tweaking the absolute, inarguable, most fine-tuned builds they possibly can. Each creature can have its stats altered by fusion and items in such a way that they are essentially the players to shape in their image.
Few games are as chaotic asPalworld. Its aesthetic is chaotic - aBreath of the Wild-style high fantasy world with veryPokemon-esque (maybe alittle tooPokemon-esque) designs, photo-realistic guns and equipment, all paired with anime character designs. It’s…a lot.
But it also has to be said that there are few things as cathartic as stumbling upon a rare-looking egg in the wild and hatching it to find some new, absolutely bizarre, or terrific Pal to add to one’s collection.
Like most of the systems inRimworld, there is a complex but surprisingly straightforward system for the fertilization of a host of creature eggs. Farming inRimworldand building up a good stock of animals is a great path to long-term success.
Whether players want to breed chickens or ostriches, if they can get a male and female together, it will eventually happen. Baby creatures are far easier to tame and working with baby animals can be a cathartic break from the horrors that often lie in wait inRimworld.
